24AGENDAJULY/AUGUST 1999 she is called on the show, plays almost all the every aspect of society, and makes fun of ev- Rush Limbaugh and Newt Gingrich. I told him it female roles in all of the sketches herself, as erything, from religion (the “Jesus and Pals” call- would be a lot funnier if he was an extreme left- well as many male parts. She has tremendous in show) to assisted suicide (Stan’s Grandpa winger, because nobody does that except in paro- Misogyny Central? talent, but being practically the “token” girl on a says “Why won’t you kill me, Billy?”) and is even dies. A few minutes later the conversation turned bizarre, obscure cable TV show, I doubt she has self-reflective of offensive cartoons filled with fart to a recent trip to New York city. My dad asked by Erin Finnegan a huge movie career to look forward to. jokes, as the characters on the show are ob- me if the subways were safe, and I replied, Win Ben Stein’s Money is particularly of- sessed with Terrance and Philip. My only point “Well, you know, there are a few shady char- fensive in its treatment of women. The show is in bringing it up at all was to point out how there acters, but it’s OK for the most part.” And he a Jeopardy spoof wherein three contestants play are fewer female characters as opposed to male quickly shot back: against Ben Stein, the co-host, to win money. characters. One could probably see the best “Now Erin, those people might just have Anything left over at the end of the season is example of the popularity of the male charac- alternate lifestyles!” I have not seen The Man Show and have paid to Ben, thus “Win Ben Stein’s Money.” The ters by looking at T-Shirt sales alone. It is far I laughed for a long time. It is one of the no desire to, but its sudden appearance on Com- disturbing part is that on the majority of the easier to obtain a T-Shirt featuring Chef than funniest things my dad has ever said. edy Central is not surprising. It is part of a long shows (at least those in the first season, which I one featuring Wendy, for example. Fortunately, a recent column in Entertain- tradition of male humor in this country. As a film have seen; later seasons may vary) the contes- This brings us closer and closer to the ad- ment Weekly criticized a rash of new misogy- student, a fan of Comedy Central, and a femi- tants are two men and one woman. In an al- vent of The Man Show. Note how the station’s nistic shows like The Man Show. There are three nist, I feel I should say something on this topic. most formulaic way, if the woman is attractive, primary creations thus far mainly star white of them, apparently, on different networks, one In order to examine sexism on Comedy Cen- Ben makes a comment about it during the males, and cater to a similar audience with toi- of which stars Frank Zappa’s sons. Entertain- tral, I think it is necessary to examine a few of player’s introductions, and then later at the end let humor. Now we must bring in an outside ex- ment Weekly accused the humor of such shows their other original programs, such as The Daily of the first round when the lowest scoring player ample. Think of Al Bundy on Married with Chil- as being degrading to men, and also pointed Show, The Upright Citizens Brigade, Win Ben (inevitably the pretty girl) is eliminated. For ex- dren and Archie Bunker on All in the Family. out that the shows are not even funny, because Stein’s Money, and even the infamous South ample, Ben usually comments “It’s always the These characters were white male family men, the hosts are more intelligent than the material Park. From these and a few other outside ex- pretty ones,” as they dismiss the low-scoring girl. slow to warm up to changes in society, and al- they are presenting. This is another important amples, we can learn how an atrocity like The It is irritating how little money some of these fe- most threatened by a growing focus on the con- aspect of The Man Show that I had not yet con- Man Show managed to evolve (or mutate, as male contestants win by the end of the first cerns of women and minorities. Their plight is sidered, that it is just as harmful to men as to the case may be). round. I have seen many shows in which they made fun of with a sort of sympathy. The shows women. Comedy Central knows its demographic do not even answer one question correctly. Very are tales of somewhat old-fashioned dads, who, I originally wrote this in response to an email and caters to it well; that is to say, they aim for a few women have ever made it to the final round, in Al Bundy’s case, are becoming more and campaign that proposed a protest against The viewing audience of primarily white males be- where the highest scoring contestant goes one more pathetic in their plight for traditional val- Man Show. This is a futile gesture, as it is ex- tween the ages of 14 and 30. This has been on one with Ben Stein. Those that have are usu- ues in a rapidly changing society. This is one actly what Comedy Central’s producers expect poked fun at on The Daily Show once or twice, ally not the pretty girls, and I would dare to specu- thing, but how these shows are celebrated in you to do. It is supposed to be humorous through where they have directly mentioned their fans’ late that this is no coincidence. However, like America is an entirely different issue. All in the its blatant offensiveness. It is an entire show demographic, but it is also painfully obvious from Jeopardy, the contestants do go through a rig- Family is a highly valued classic sit com, still based on the Al Bundy mentality. My only ob- their style of humor. The Daily Show, although a orous screening process, so it is difficult to com- shown on some cable stations to this day. Mar- jection is that if they’re going to have a “Man more or less straightforward news program, prehend how such strange casting decisions ried with Children displays a purposefully lower- Show” then there should also be a “Woman manages to give us a constant stream of butt come about. class kind of humor, but has recently become Show.” Extremist feminist humor could prove to jokes and Dumb and Dumber- or Beavis and Next we have Comedy Central’s pride and the longest running sit com of all time. (For a be very funny. Although really it doesn’t take that Butthead-style stupidity. One cannot blame joy, South Park. It stars four little white boys. more current example of this type of central male much to be offensive to the male sensibility—all Comedy Central for that. Toilet humor sells, as The women on the show take a back seat to figure, watch Fox’s new animated series The one needs to do is make a tampon joke or two seen by said examples. Looking at the cast of male antics. Of the few female characters, Family Guy, or even early episodes of The and one will have cleared the room. But why the show itself, most of the reporters are white Wendy is a love interest and stereotypical Lisa Simpsons, keeping in mind that in later episodes spend the money to produce such a show when guys, with one or two women thrown into the Simpson-esque overachiever, the female Mayor Homer grows less intelligent and more absurd.) a suitable one is already in existence? Six or mix. Liz Winstead, the show’s creator, was par- takes bribes and is highly corrupt (for comic pur- And now enter The Man Show. It caters seven years ago ABC produced a show called ticularly funny, but quit after the former host, poses, and it is funny; I should note at this point purely to a male audience who is used to the She-TV which featured an all-girl cast of come- Craig Kilborn, made a sexual joke about her in that one cannot possibly look to South Park for poor-endangered-white-guy-against-a-new- dians doing sketch comedy. I thought it was a national magazine. Craig has gone on to host morality, obviously) and perhaps sadly, the America brand of humor. It makes perfect sense great, but it was cancelled after a few weeks. I his own show on CBS. Although I thing Kilborn woman with the biggest role is Cartman’s to me. I have seen many of my guy friends, and bet obtaining re-runs of these shows would be is funny, the incident disturbs me a great deal. I mother. Mrs. Cartman, as we are told by the especially my dad, take on a humorous “Just incredibly inexpensive. It could air right after The also find the lack of media coverage on the inci- boys, has been on the cover of Crack Whore bring me a steak and do my laundry!” type of Man Show just for a good contrast. R dent rather surprising. magazine, and as we learned by the end of the attitude.